Shimonita, Gunma

Shimonita (下仁田町, Shimonita-machi) is a town located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 August 2020, the town had an estimated population of 7,058 in 3,292 households, and a population density of 37 persons per km². The total area of the town is 188.38 square kilometres (72.73 sq mi). Shimonita is famous for its konjac and Welsh onion.

Shimonita 下仁田町
Town
Shimonita town office
Flag Seal
Location of Shimonita in Gunma Prefecture
Shimonita
Coordinates: 36°12′44.9″N 138°47′20.9″E
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Gunma
District	Kanra
Area
• Total	188.38 km2 (72.73 sq mi)
Population  (October 2020)
• Total	7,058
• Density	37/km2 (97/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Symbols
• Tree	Cryptomeria
• Flower	Sakura
• Bird	Japanese bush-warbler
Phone number	0274-82-2111
Address	682 Shimonita, Shimonita-machi, Kanra-gun, Gunma-ken 370-2601
Website	Official website

Shimonita onion

Shimonita town center

Geography

Shimonita is located in southwestern Gunma Prefecture bordering on Nagano Prefecture to the west. Part of the town is within the borders of the Myōgi-Arafune-Saku Kōgen Quasi-National Park. Approximately 84% of the town's total area is covered by forests.

• Mountains: Mount Arafune (1423 m), Mount Inafukumi, Mount Ōgeta, Ozawadake, Kanatake, Mount Nikkura, Mount Yotsumata, Mount Monogatari, Mount Midō, Mount Myogi, Mount Monomi
• Rivers: Kabura River

Surrounding municipalities

Gunma Prefecture

• Annaka
• Fujioka
• Kanna
• Kanra
• Nanmoku
• Tomioka

Nagano Prefecture

• Karuizawa
• Saku

Climate

Shimonita has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Shimonita is 11.7 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1106 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 31.1 °C, and lowest in January, at around -0.5 °C.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Shimonita has decreased steadily over the past 70 years.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1920	16,561	—
1930	18,206	+9.9%
1940	18,688	+2.6%
1950	22,450	+20.1%
1960	20,640	−8.1%
1970	17,573	−14.9%
1980	15,228	−13.3%
1990	13,683	−10.1%
2000	11,171	−18.4%
2010	8,911	−20.2%
2020	6,576	−26.2%

History

During the Edo period, the area of present-day Shimonita was largely part of the tenryō territory held directly by Tokugawa shogunate within Kōzuke Province. The town of Shimonita was created within Kitakanra District of Gunma Prefecture on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system after the Meiji Restoration. In 1950 Kitakanra District was renamed Kanra District. Shimonita annexed the neighboring villages of Osaka, Saimoku, Aokura and Mayama on March 10, 1955.

Government

Shimonita has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 12 members. Shimonita, together with the other municipalities in Kanra District contributes one member to the Gunma Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Gunma 5th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

The economy of Shimonita is heavily dependent on agriculture.

Education

Shimonita has one public elementary school and one public middle school operated by the town government and one public high school operated by the Gunma Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railway

Jōshin Dentetsu - Jōshin Line

• Shimonita

Highway

• Jōshin-etsu Expressway – Shimonita IC
• National Route 254

Local attractions

• Shimonita Onsen

Noted people from Shimonita

• Miyuki Imori, actress, entertainer

External links

Media related to Shimonita, Gunma at Wikimedia Commons

• Official Website (in Japanese)